Warranty

Limited Lifetime Structural Warranty

Hill Wood Products, Inc. warrants to the original purchaser that your Ashawa Bay Hardwood Floors will be free from manufacturing defects and for the life of the product when used under “normal residential conditions” will not:

Limited Finish Warranty for Residential Use

Hill Wood Products, Inc. warrants that the factory applied finish layer of the pre-finished product will not wear through, crack, flake, or peel from the wood for a period of twenty five (25) years from the date of purchase by the original purchaser when used under “normal residential conditions”.

Ashawa Bay Hardwood Floors are suitable for installation over radiant in-floor heat as long as the flooring is installed and maintained in accordance with National Wood Flooring Association’s recommendations for flooring over radiant in-floor heat. Our warranty in such installation is limited to defects in manufacturing and finish which are detected before and during installation.

Site Conditions

Site conditions must meet or exceed those laid out in the National Wood Flooring Association installation guidelines. These include but are not limited to proper subfloor construction and moisture and environmental relative humidity and temperature. Relative humidity must be maintained at all times during installation and thereafter between 35% and 50% and temperature between 65°F and 72°F. Failure to do so may cause damage to your floor. Damage determined to be the result of improper site conditions is not covered under terms of this warranty.

Warranty Exclusions

THE WARRANTY APPLIES ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THE PRODUCT AND IS NON-TRANSFERABLE. THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER MUST PROVIDE AN INVOICE OR PROOF OF PURCHASE IN ORDER TO BENEFIT FROM COVERAGE.

The warranty against wear excludes damage caused by water, use of a wet mop, lack of maintenance, negligence, marks made by blows, accidents, scratches, furniture, house pets, high-heeled shoes, erosion, grit, sand and other abrasive substances, extreme environmental conditions and lack of preventive measures or improper protection. In order for coverage to apply, totally worn out areas must extend over at least 10% of the entire floor.

Moreover, Hill Wood Products Inc. cannot guarantee its finish against the fading that results from normal wear. We recommend that felt pads be glued to the legs of furniture to avoid scratching the floor when objects are moved. The pads should be cleaned and replaced regularly. Avoid sliding heavy objects or furniture over the floor. Lift them instead. Place floor mats at each doorway and in high traffic areas in the kitchen where water or oily detergents may damage the floor. Discoloration from exposure to sunlight is a natural phenomenon not covered by warranty. Wood is a natural material that expands and contracts with the seasons and heating of the home. Even when properly installed, slight gaps may appear between boards at various times of the year. Such gaps are not covered by warranty. It is important to maintain relative humidity in the home as constant as possible (between 35% and 50%). Use a humidifier or dehumidifier, as the case may be. Temperatures in the home should range between a comfortable 18°C and 22°C (65°F and 72°F).

The warranty does not cover damage sustained during transportation, storage, installation or any other cause not covered expressly by the warranty described hereafter. The warranty does not cover labor costs or other losses or expenses incurred as a result of a defect covered by warranty. Under the terms of the present agreement, should it be carried into effect, the responsibility of Hill Wood Products Inc. is limited to repairing, refinishing or replacing defective products, at the discretion of Hill Wood Products, Inc. If it is impossible to correct the situation, Hill Wood Products, Inc. will refund to the purchaser an amount based on the purchase price of the defective area of the flooring, proportional to the balance of term outstanding on the original warranty. No Hill Wood Products, Inc. distributor, retailer, installer, agent, salesperson or representative is authorized to modify or extend the conditions or duration of this warranty.

This warranty specifically excludes and replaces any other warranty in relation to Hill Wood Products, Inc. including the legal warranty in jurisdictions where exclusion of such warranties may be provided for by law. Under no circumstances may the purchaser of the product exercise recourse of any kind whatsoever against Hill Wood Products, Inc. saving and accepting conditions provided for specifically in this warranty.

A 5% margin for error and imperfection is an accepted industry standard and shall not be considered a structural defect under the terms of this warranty.

Claim Procedure

If you wish to file a claim under warranty, first contact the authorized Ashawa Bay Hardwood Flooring dealer from whom you purchased the flooring. If the latter is unable to solve your problem, please contact our head office at Hill Wood Products, Inc., 9483 Ashawa Road, Cook, MN 55723 (telephone: 800-666-9689). We will send you a form that you must fill in and return to us. Claims must be made in writing and sent to Hill Wood Products Inc. within six (6) months of the appearance of the defect. Hill Wood Products Inc. reserves the right to a thirty-day delay following receipt of the claim in order to inspect the product. During the thirty-day delay, no alteration, replacement or repair may be carried out. Failure to comply with this stipulation will cause the warranty to become null and void.